Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J19/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
  • B01J19/087—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor employing electric or magnetic energy
  • B01J19/088—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor employing electric or magnetic energy giving rise to electric discharges
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J8/00—Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes
  • B01J8/08—Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes with moving particles
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
  • C12N7/00—Viruses; Bacteriophages; Compositions thereof; Preparation or purification thereof
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J2219/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
  • B01J2219/0803—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor employing electric or magnetic energy
  • B01J2219/0805—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor employing electric or magnetic energy giving rise to electric discharges
  • B01J2219/0845—Details relating to the type of discharge
  • B01J2219/0849—Corona pulse discharge
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J2219/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
  • B01J2219/0873—Materials to be treated
  • B01J2219/0881—Two or more materials
  • B01J2219/0886—Gas-solid
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J2219/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
  • B01J2219/0873—Materials to be treated
  • B01J2219/0881—Two or more materials
  • B01J2219/089—Liquid-solid
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J2219/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
  • B01J2219/0894—Processes carried out in the presence of a plasma
  • B01J2219/0896—Cold plasma

Definitions

• the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for immobilisation of bacteriophage onto substrates such as particles, filaments and planar surfaces and to the compositions made thereby.
• the invention relates to large scale process for immobilisation of bacteriophage, especially onto particles.
• WO 03/093462 it is known to attach bacteriophage to substrates using chemical methods or an electrical discharge, producing bacteriophage covalently attached e.g. to particles or polymer strips.
• bacteriophages immobilised in this way retain their antimicrobial potency and, beneficially, additional stability is conferred so that resistance to degradation and desiccation is significantly enhanced.
• One object of the invention is to provide alternative methods for manufacture of compositions comprising bacteriophage covalently immobilised onto substrates.
• An object of preferred embodiments is to provide improved methods, especially in which bacteriophage is more evenly distributed over the product to which it is attached.
• a further object of preferred embodiments is to provide new products with bacteriophage attached.
• a still further object of preferred embodiments is to provide methods that can be used continuously. Devising apparatus to carry out the methods are further objects.
• Another object of specific embodiments is to provide methods and systems that bring together activated substrate and bacteriophage rapidly, continuously and at large scale.
• the invention provides a method of covalently attaching a bacteriophage to a substrate, comprising:
• Apparatus of the invention for carrying out such methods, comprises:
• a first conduit connected to a supply of fluid under pressure for introducing a fluid flow between the electrodes, wherein flow of the fluid displaces the plasma or a portion of the plasma to a displaced zone located not between the electrodes;
• a second conduit connected to a supply of bacteriophage or substrate for introducing the bacteriophage or the substrate into the displaced zone without passing between the electrodes;
• Also provided by the invention is a method of covalently attaching a bacteriophage to a substrate, comprising:
• Apparatus of the invention for carrying out such methods, comprises:
• a chamber in which substrate and bacteriophage can be combined at the same time as or after contact with the plasma so as to form a covalent bond between the bacteriophage and the substrate is a method of covalently attached two bacteriophage of different strain or type to a single substrate particle, comprising:
• a problem addressed by the invention is that of damage to or loss of substrate while being activated by an electric discharge.
• the invention accordingly provides a method of covalently attaching a bacteriophage to a substrate, comprising:
• substrate or bacteriophage does not pass between the charged electrodes that form the activating field.
• the risk of excessive heating effects due to passing between electrodes can be reduced or eliminated.
• the risk of collision with electrodes, leading e.g. to fusing of particles with and melting of particles onto electrodes can be similarly reduced or eliminated. The process is rendered more efficient.
• Either bacteriophage or substrate or both can be activated.
• substrate is introduced into plasma in the displaced zone to activate the substrate and then combined with bacteriophage.
• Other methods comprise introducing bacteriophage into plasma in the displaced zone to activate the bacteriophage and combining activated bacteriophage with substrate to yield the product - namely, bacteriophage covalently attached to the substrate.
• Further options are for both bacteriophage and substrate to be introduced into plasma in the displaced zone to activate both and combining activated substrate with activated bacteriophage to yield the product.
• the substrate or bacteriophage may pass into the displaced zone to the side of and adjacent the electrodes.
• the fluid flow may be such that the displaced zone is spaced from the electrodes, further reducing the heating and collision risks associated with prior art methods.
• the plasma may be spaced 1 mm or more, 5mm or more or 10mm or more from the electrodes - increasing flow further distancing the plasma from the electrodes.
• the electrodes and the displaced zone remain static, and the substrate / bacteriophage are moved through the zone. It is also optional to hold the substrate stationary and, using portable apparatus, move the displaced zone relative to the substrate.
• Methods may comprise moving the displaced zone across a surface of the substrate, for example scanning apparatus that creates the electric field and the plasma relative to the substrate, which doesn’t move.
• the method comprises applying bacteriophage to substrate surface and moving the displaced zone across the surface of the substrate to which bacteriophage has been applied. The plasma comes into contact with the bacteriophage on the surface, activating one or the other or both, resulting in covalent attachment.
• the fluid is a gas. This can be blown through a tube, exiting in the vicinity of the electrodes in a moving stream of sufficient velocity to displace the plasma from between the electrodes.
• a corona discharge can be used and especially a pulsed or pulse field corona discharge.
• the substrate is or comprises particles. These can be flowed or passed continuously through the (displaced) plasma, meaning the invention enables continuous operation. Preferred particle materials and diameters are as described elsewhere herein.
• bacteriophage are introduced into the plasma.
• the bacteriophage are provided as a suspension in liquid droplets. Again, this allows for continuous operation.
• Suitable droplets have a diameter of 250 microns or less.
• the method is generally carried out with droplets of volume median diameter 150 microns or less, preferably a volume median diameter of 100 microns or less, more preferably 50 microns or less.
• Droplet size herein is measured by conventional means, for example using laser diffraction equipment and methods, such as with a Malvern Analyzer (Malvern Instruments Ltd, Worcestershire, United Kingdom).
• apparatus of the invention comprises circuitry, electrodes and means to generate a flow of fluid to generate a plasma between the electrodes that can be displaced in whole or part so that particles or bacteriophage can pass through plasma without passing between the electrodes.
• a particular apparatus of the invention comprises:
• a first conduit connected to a supply of fluid under pressure for introducing a fluid flow between the electrodes, wherein flow of the fluid displaces the plasma or a portion of the plasma to a displaced zone located not between the electrodes;
• a second conduit connected to a supply of bacteriophage or substrate for introducing the bacteriophage or the substrate into the displaced zone without passing between the electrodes;
• the substrate or bacteriophage can be activated while avoiding the risks and disadvantages of having that material pass between the electrodes.
• a control mechanism can be included so the flow can be varied, varying the displacement of the plasma.
• An option is for the apparatus to comprise a third conduit, the second conduit being for introducing bacteriophage into the displaced zone and the third conduit being for introducing substrate into the displaced zone, so that bacteriophage and substrate are combined in the displaced zone.
• the apparatus is further optionally adapted in accordance with other optional and preferred embodiments of the methods of the invention.
• an output of electrically charged particles is provided.
• This can be directed at bacteriophage, for example bacteriophage droplets which have been applied to a carrier substrate, such as a plainer material or a wound dressing, etc.
• the apparatus provides a gun to provide a stream of activated particles to be directed at target bacteriophage.
• All embodiments of this aspect of the invention have the advantage that activation of the substrate (e.g. particles) or bacteriophage (e.g. in droplets) avoids passing between electrodes.
• the optional and preferred features of this aspect of the invention may be used in combination with optional and preferred features of other aspects of the invention as described herein, including as described below.
• a further problem addressed in the invention is that attachment of bacteriophage to substrate can be uneven or otherwise difficult to control or difficult to carry out continuously or on a large scale.
• the invention provides a method of covalently attaching a bacteriophage to a substrate, comprising:
• droplets within which bacteriophage are typically suspended, allows improved attachment to the substrate. For example, using a predetermined concentration of bacteriophage (number of bacteriophage per ml_ of liquid) and droplets of known size or within a given size range allows the number of bacteriophage being combined with substrate to be controlled.
• particles of given size or within a given size range are activated and combined with droplets so as to control the number of bacteriophage per particle, within reasonable boundaries and standard deviations.
• Methods of the invention are distinct from known combination of activated particles with solutions of bacteriophage; in typical methods, especially using droplets of bacteriophage and particles, the droplets are of diameter 150 microns or less, such as having a volume median diameter of 150 microns or less, preferably of 100 microns or less, more preferably of 70 microns or less.
• the substrate particles are generally of diameter 500 microns or less, suitably having mass median diameters of 500 microns or less, 300 microns or less, suitably 150 microns or less, preferably of 100 microns or less, more preferably of 70 microns or less.
• droplets of about 10 microns diameter were combined with particles of about the same size.
• An often-used liquid for the droplets is water; and other aqueous solutions can also be used.
• a fine mist of an aqueous suspension of bacteriophage was brought into contact with a superabsorbent polymer pre activated using pulse field corona discharge. Tests confirmed active bacteriophage had been attached to the polymer and weighing of the polymer before and after confirmed only a small weight gain (about 25-30%) through water absorption by the polymer.
• the droplets are liquid that is non-aqueous.
• the liquid used should be suitable for the bacteriophage and e.g. non-denaturing or otherwise non destructive of the bacteriophage - the product of covalent attachment according to the invention comprises infective bacteriophage.
• non-aqueous liquids examples include compounds and compositions that are gaseous at atmospheric pressures and 20°C, wherein the method is carried out under conditions of temperature and pressure such that the compound forms liquid droplets.
• Droplets of liquid carbon dioxide are used in certain embodiments to contain the bacteriophage, which are covalently attached to substrate, and the liquid component can then be removed e.g. by adjusting the temperature or the pressure or both.
• the invention comprises methods in which, when using such a liquid droplet, the covalently attached bacteriophage and substrate product is subjected to modified conditions of temperature and/or pressure so that the compound evaporates, yielding dry product.
• these methods can be used in selected manufacturing situations, such as for attachment of bacteriophage to a water-sensitive substrate.
• the substrate comprises a superabsorbent polymer; in this way the methods can be carried out to attach bacteriophage to such substrates while avoiding water or aqueous solutions that would adversely react with (e.g. be absorbed by) and risk damaging or reducing the absorbance of the end product.
• compositions comprising superabsorbent polymers to which bacteriophage are covalently attached, which can be made by the invention, wherein the polymer is preferably substantially non-wetted.
• examples of compositions include fabric, woven fabrics, diapers, nappies, sanitary towels, sanitary napkins, clothing and undergarments.
• All superabsorbent polymers are believed suitable for these compositions, and including both low and high density cross-linked superabsorbent polymers.
• Polyacrylate-containing polymers e.g. sodium polyacrylate, and polymers based thereon are suitable.
• Other suitable such polymers are polyacrylamide copolymers, ethylene maleic anhydride copolymers, cross-linked carboxymethylcelluloses, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, cross-linked polyethylene oxides, and starch grafted copolymers of polyacrylonitrile.
• attachment can be carried out so as to avoid wetting of the polymer.
• the polymer absorbs the liquid of the droplet(s) up to no more than 3 times the polymer weight (bearing in mind the capacity of these polymers, which can be several hundred times the polymer weight), preferably nor more than 1 times the polymer weight, preferably no more than 50% the polymer weight, preferably no more than 25% the polymer weight and very preferably no more than 10% the polymer weight.
• Methods can comprise activating the substrate and combining activated substrate with the liquid droplet, or activating the droplet and combining the activated droplet with the substrate. It is further optional to activate both substrate and droplet and combine them.
• the invention allows control of product formation.
• methods comprise combining droplets of a predetermined size prepared from a suspension of bacteriophage of predetermined concentration so as to control the number and/or density of bacteriophage attached to the substrate.
• Suitable bacteriophage concentrations are in the range 10 8 — 10 10 per mL
• methods may comprise combining droplets of diameter 150 microns or less with particles of diameter 150 microns or less, preferably combining droplets of volume median diameter 100 microns or less with particles of mass median diameter 100 microns or less.
• the method may comprise combining droplets of volume median diameter up to 200 microns or up to 100 microns or up to 20 microns with particles of mass media diameter up to 200 microns or up to 100 microns or up to 20 microns.
• methods may comprise combining particles and droplets wherein the ratio of the respective diameters (volume mean diameter for droplets and mass median diameter for particles) is from 1 :10 - 10:1 , from 1 :3 - 3:1 or from 1 :2 - 2:1. In specific methods carried out in examples, the ratio was approximately 1 :1 .
• activated particles generally combine with a limited number of droplets, and the respective sizes and ratios of sizes as described above enables control of properties of the product, especially the number of bacteriophage per particle.
• Use of droplets containing bacteriophage that are closer in size to the particles tends also to distribute the points of attachment more evenly over the substrate, giving a further enhanced product.
• Still further embodiments of the invention which can be adopted in combination with one or more other embodiments, comprise designing the charges on particles and droplets to promote combination.
• Methods hence comprise activating both particles and substrate, wherein the particles are activated using an electric discharge and the substrate is activated using an oppositely charged electric discharge.
• the discharge is suitably a corona discharge, preferably pulse or pulsed field. Both negative and positive coronas can be used.
• the particles are activated using a negatively charged corona discharge and the droplets using a positively charged one.
• polymer particles of size approximately 10 microns activated with a negative pulse field corona discharge were combined with droplets of size approximately 10 microns activated by contact with a positive corona discharge.
• Further embodiments comprise comprising simultaneously forming and activating the particles.
• An apparatus includes a droplet generator to make bacteriophage containing droplets and means to combine the droplets with the substrate.
• the apparatus can include a station for activating the droplets (e.g. via a corona discharge) or a station for activating substrate (again e.g. via a corona discharge).
• a particular apparatus for carrying out the methods comprises:
• a plasma generator for generating a plasma in combination with (i) a droplet activating station to contact the droplets with the plasma, or (ii) a substrate activating station to contact the substrate with the plasma;
• the apparatus of certain embodiments works with droplets e.g. of liquid carbon dioxide.
• One such apparatus hence is adapted to generate liquid droplets of a solvent or solution that is a gas at room temperature and 20°C.
• One apparatus of the invention has a plasma generator adapted for generating a plasma to activate the substrate.
• Another has a plasma generator adapted for generating a plasma to activate the droplets containing bacteriophage.
• the plasma generator and the chamber are arranged so that the bacteriophage and the substrate are combined and contacted with the plasma so as to be activated at the same time and in the same chamber.
• Another problem addressed herein is that of including, within products, individual particles that have covalently attached to them bacteriophage of different strains.
• the invention thus further provides a method of covalently attaching two bacteriophage of different strain or type to a single substrate particle, comprising:
• the product of these steps is then combined with a third bacteriophage of different strain or type to the first and second, wherein prior to or during the combining the product or the third bacteriophage or both are activated, so as to yield a further product comprising a particle to which the first, second and third bacteriophage are covalently attached.
• a composition obtainable using the method comprises a plurality of particles to which first and second bacteriophage of different strain or type are covalently attached, wherein at least 50% of the particles by number comprise at least one first bacteriophage and at least one second bacteriophage. Generally, at least 60%, preferably at least 70% and more preferably at least 80% of the particles by number comprise at least one first bacteriophage and at least one second bacteriophage.
• substrate and bacteriophage are brought together within a mixing chamber as a solution, or slurry, or in a vapour or gaseous form.
• the reactants either singly or together, are subjected to corona discharge activation prior to entry into the mixing chamber or within the mixing chamber, and are transferred into a chamber suitable for drying and collection of particles.
• Discharge into the drying chamber may be through atomisation (pneumatic or mechanical) with particles dried e.g. using dry inert gas swirl, and finally collected.
• Substrate and bacteriophages are preferably electrically charged such that each carries a charge opposite to the other, causing substrate and bacteriophage to be attracted and distributed relative to one another so that following corona discharge activation bacteriophage are approximately equally distributed upon the surface of the particle.
• the invention provides processes for the covalent attachment of bacteriophages to substrate (beads, powders or other particles), wherein during the manufacture of the substrate, such as particles made by electrospray methods, the solvent is evaporated before attachment of phage to particle.
• phage particles are covalently attached to particles of a substrate. This is achieved by entraining particles of a set size in a flowing stream of gas and entraining droplets of liquid of a set size containing phage in a second flowing stream of gas. Treating the entrained particles and/or droplets using corona discharge and combining the gas streams brings the droplets and particles together and causes the phage to become covalently linked to the particles; the phage that are so linked retain their infectivity. After the phage are covalently linked to the particles the particles are collected and, if necessary, dried.
• Methods of the invention represent an improvement over previous methods of covalent attachment of phage to substrate particles in respect of the consistency of distribution and frequency with which phage are covalently linked to the particles.
• Matching the droplet size to substantially match the particle size e.g. within a diameter ratio of about 4:1 to 1 : 4, preferably from 1 :3 to 3:1 , leads to a more even distribution of phage over the surface of the particle.
• concentration of phage in the liquid can be set so as to accurately control the number of phage linked to individual particles.
• a stream of gas is used to entrain and carry particles through an apparatus whereby it is treated by exposure to a corona discharge and is thus activated, i.e. the surface of the particle now comprises free radicals that are short lived but highly susceptible to forming covalent bonds with molecules that they come into contact with.
• a second stream of gas is used to entrain and carry droplets of liquid containing bacteriophage (phage) through an apparatus wherein the droplets are treated by exposure to corona discharge and thus too become activated. The droplets are formed by spraying the phage solution into the entraining gas stream.
• the droplets are preferably aqueous but may comprise another liquid such as liquid carbon dioxide or a volatile organic solvent.
• the gas used to entrain the particles and droplets is preferably air but other gases such as nitrogen, hydrogen or argon may be used.
• the two gas streams in which the activated matter is entrained are then combined and the particle and droplet are thereby brought into contact with one another. This contact causes the phage to be covalently linked to the particle.
• the activation effect of treatment with corona discharge is very short lived and so the matter entrained in the gas streams are suitably combined within 1 second of the corona-discharge treatment.
• a positive or a negative corona discharge may be used to treat the particles or the droplets.
• a positive corona discharge imparts a positive charge to the treated matter and a negative corona-discharge imparts a negative charge.
• particles and droplets of similarly charged matter will repel one another, particles and droplets are generally treated using different types of corona discharge. However, all combinations of corona-discharge treatment, including leaving one or other of the particles or droplets untreated, are possible.
• the particles are treated using a negative corona discharge and the droplets are treated using a positive corona discharge; in examples carried out by the inventors this has yielded good results.
• Advantages of this pattern of treatments include at least the manner in which the corona- discharge treated particles are electrostatically attracted to the corona-discharge treated droplets yet are repelled by other treated particles and, similarly, the treated droplets are mutually repelled from one another.
• the flow rate of the gas entraining the droplets and particles may be adjusted to optimise the efficiency of the activation effect of the corona discharge treatment, and thus the efficiency of attachment of the phage to the particles.
• the particles with covalently attached phage are then collected from the gas stream and any remaining liquid from the droplet is removed.
• the liquid will have vaporised in the gas stream before collection.
• a particular advantage of using a volatile solvent for the phage containing droplets is that the drying process is both quicker and is simplified because of the relative ease of being able to dry the treated particles while they are entrained in the gas stream.
• the path of the gas and its flow rate are suitably adjusted to optimise the process of drying the particles.
• a further element of this invention is that particles with phage covalently attached to them can be re-treated one or more times by a similar process in order to covalently attach another type or types of phage to the particle. In this way a particle with an evenly distributed and well-defined population of phage can be produced.
• nozzles or injectors to form two streams of gas in which to entrain particles and droplets of liquid containing phage, each being of a defined size - the flow rate and path of the gas is adjustable to optimise the efficiency of the apparatus;
• Such apparatus comprises corona discharge electrodes that are used to create a volume of ionised gas. This volume of ionised gas forms in the space between the electrodes but is displaced from this location between the electrodes by a flow of gas travelling through the volume of space between the electrodes. The gas-entrained particles can be introduced into this volume of ionised gas and thereby become corona-discharge activated.
• Corona-discharge treating the particles using a displaced volume of ionised gas in this way has the advantage that there is less heating of the particles as they are treated. Depending on the material of the particle this allows them to keep their form better, by, for example, being less susceptible to fusion or melting.
• displacing the volume of gas used to treat the particles means that they can be treated without having to travel between the electrodes. Particles travelling between the electrodes will often deviate and become fused to the electrode, thus destroying the particle and reducing the efficiency of the electrode.
• the apparatus of these and other embodiments avoids this disadvantage.
• the flow of gas used to displace the volume of ionised gas from between the electrodes can be the same flow of gas that is used to entrain the particles. Thus the operation of the apparatus can be simplified and a correspondingly lower amount of gas can be used.
• the corona discharge produced from the electrodes may be constant but is preferably pulsed. Pulsed-field corona discharge has the advantage that there is less heating of the particles during treatment and thus the risk of melting or fusing the treated particles is reduced.
• Phage-containing droplets of liquid of a defined size may be produced by spraying from a nozzle. These droplets can then be entrained in a gas stream and treated by corona discharge in the same way as the particles described above.
• the droplets are produced by passing the phage-containing solution through the nozzle of an electrostatic sprayer.
• This has the advantage of simultaneously producing a spray of droplets of defined size and electrostatically (corona- discharge) activating these droplets before entraining them in a gas stream.
• the droplets to be combined with the particles are produced simply, accurately and efficiently by the use of this apparatus.
• the apparatus also contains a chamber or space in which the gas streams are combined to bring the corona-discharge treated particles and droplets together.
• Apparatus for manufacture of particles with phage covalently attached may be set up in series.
• the activated particle product from a reaction chamber is transferred to a downstream chamber for attachment of bacteriophage.
• the bacteriophage droplet product from a reaction chamber is transferred to a downstream chamber for attachment to activated particles.
• a similar arrangement may be applied to activate a filament: filamentous material is introduced into a reaction chamber by continuous spooling such that activation, e.g. by corona discharge, occurs immediately preceding introduction of bacteriophage.
• a preferred embodiment comprises a three stage process whereby the initial charged droplets are gas dried and passed through a corona field with the same polarity as the initial droplet producing field, and mixed with the droplets of a bacteriophage suspension at a size that gives the desired number of bacteriophages bound per particle and with the opposite charge. This is followed by drying and collection of the neutral final product.
• an embodiment comprises an electrospray field in the corona producing voltage range to make particles that are mixed with particles of opposite charge from bacteriophage or other suspensions.
• the bacteriophage or other particles are dried before combination with the particles of polymer.
• the solvent for the bacteriophage suspension may be water, an aqueous organic solvent or a liquid gas such as liquid CO2.
• Electrospraying is a method of liquid atomization by means of electrical forces.
• electro-spraying the liquid at the outlet of a nozzle is subjected to an electrical shear stress by maintaining the nozzle at high electric potential (e.g. 3-30 kV).
• An advantage of electro-spraying is that droplets can be extremely small and the charge and size of the droplets can be controlled by adjusting the flow rate and voltage applied to the nozzle.
• electro-spraying has additional advantages over conventional mechanical spraying systems where droplets are charged by induction: (1 ) droplets have size smaller than those available from conventional mechanical atomisers, and can be smaller than 1 pm; (2) the size distribution of the droplets is usually narrow, with low standard deviation; (3) charged droplets are self-dispersing in the space; and (4) the motion of charged droplets can be easily controlled (including deflection or focusing) by electric fields.
• the process of solid particle production by electro-spraying is suitable with regards to the size of the droplets generated at given conditions and the frequency of their emission.
• Droplets can also be charged during the process of their atomisation by mechanical forces in the presence of electric field.
• Droplets generated by electro-spraying in the cone-jet mode can be as small as 1 pm, and for water droplet of this size, the specific charge can be 14C/kg.
• the mechanical atomisation method may be used when large quantities of liquid are used.
• a synchronous excitation of the liquid jet either by mechanical or electrical methods can be used.
• a piezoelectric transducer placed in the liquid container, close to the nozzle outlet can be employed for the jet excitation.
• the application of pulsed or ac voltage superimposed onto dc bias voltage can, by controlling both the ac frequency and liquid volume flow rate, control droplet size and produce droplets of the required mean size. Fine particle generation is also possible by solvent evaporation from the droplets generated by electrospraying.
• an initial action of corona activation fields is to produce free radicals on the material surface, followed by rapid decay into more stable hydrophilic groups.
• the invention enables bringing the bacteriophage into contact with the treated surface rapidly (typically in less than a second) so that free radical based reactions can take place leading to covalent bond formation. Whereas this has hitherto been achieved on film surfaces where bacteriophages in suspension can be rapidly applied to the film surface by a variety of means it is through the invention that this is now efficiently and controllably possible with powders and similar particles.
• the invention can be operated with reduced time to make and collect / guide the activated powder (particles) and bring it into contact with the bacteriophages (or other particles).
• a system of the invention comprises particles and a spray gun, to create a spray of charged particles, such as a compressed air sprayer, e.g. an electrostatic gun or a corona gun which imparts a charge, typically a positive charge, to the particles (referred to also as powder due to the particle size).
• a compressed air sprayer e.g. an electrostatic gun or a corona gun which imparts a charge, typically a positive charge, to the particles (referred to also as powder due to the particle size).
• the powder is usually contained in a hopper in the apparatus and passes through the electrostatic spray gun, which charges the particles on emission.
• a high voltage generator usually specified to deliver variable voltages between 30 & 100kV, is generally situated in close proximity to the powder feed hopper and the spray equipment.
• a typical electrostatic particle generating system thus comprises:
• a high voltage generator typically 30-1 OOkV
• Powder application guns which may be:
• a specially designed unit, to allow excess powder to be removed by an air stream to a recovery unit comprising:
• a recovery unit may consist of:
• powder particles of nylon 6 polymer were produced by an electrospray system and were activated by a positive corona discharge.
• the activated powder was immediately mixed with the output from a parallel electrospray device producing negatively charged droplets of bacteriophage suspension of approximately 50 microns diameter. Particles were dried in an air flow and tested for bacteriophage activity in a standard plaque assay - the assay confirmed active phage had been attached to the nylon particles.
• a method of covalently attaching a bacteriophage to a substrate comprising: generating a plasma between two electrodes;
• a method according to embodiment 1 comprising introducing substrate into plasma in the displaced zone to activate the substrate and combining activated substrate with bacteriophage to yield bacteriophage covalently attached to the substrate.
• a method according to embodiment 1 comprising introducing bacteriophage into plasma in the displaced zone to activate the bacteriophage and combining activated bacteriophage with substrate to yield bacteriophage covalently attached to the substrate.
• a method according to embodiment 1 comprising introducing both bacteriophage and substrate into plasma in the displaced zone to activate both and combining activated substrate with activated bacteriophage to yield bacteriophage covalently attached to the substrate.
• a method according to any previous embodiment comprising holding the substrate stationary and moving the displaced zone relative to the substrate.
• a method according to embodiment 5, comprising moving the displaced zone across a surface of the substrate.
• a method according to embodiment 6, comprising applying bacteriophage to the surface and moving the displaced zone across the surface of the substrate to which bacteriophage has been applied.
• the fluid is a gas.
• the plasma is formed by an electric discharge between the electrodes.
• Apparatus according to embodiment 16 wherein the second conduit is for introducing bacteriophage into the displaced zone and further comprising a third conduit for introducing substrate into the displaced zone, so that bacteriophage and substrate are combined in the displaced zone.
• Apparatus according to any of embodiments 15 to 17, comprising a plasma generator for generating a pulsed field corona discharge.
• a method of covalently attaching a bacteriophage to a substrate comprising:
• the substrate comprises particles of average diameter 500 microns or less.
• the substrate comprises particles of average diameter 200 microns or less.
• a method according to embodiment 28 wherein the covalently attached bacteriophage and substrate product is subjected to modified conditions of temperature and/or pressure so that the compound evaporates, yielding dry product.
• a method according to any of embodiments 20 to 31 comprising activating the substrate and combining activated substrate with the liquid droplet.
• a method according to any of embodiments 20 to 32 comprising activating the droplet and combining the activated droplet with the substrate.
• a method according to any of embodiments 20 to 33 comprising activating both substrate and droplet and combining them
• a method according to any of embodiments 20 to 34 comprising combining droplets of a predetermined size prepared from a suspension of bacteriophage of predetermined concentration so as to control the number and/or density of bacteriophage attached to the substrate.
• a method according to any of embodiments 20 to 35 comprising combining droplets of mass median diameter 1 - 200 microns with particles of mass media diameter 1 -200 microns.
• 37 A method according to embodiment 36, comprising combining droplets of diameter 100 microns or less with particles of diameter 100 microns or less.
• a method according to embodiment 36 or 37 wherein the ratio of the respective diameter of droplets and particles is from 1 :3 - 3:1 .
• a method according any of embodiments 20 to 38 comprising activating both particles and substrate, wherein the particles are activated using an electric discharge and the substrate is activated using an oppositely charged electric discharge.
• a method according to embodiment 40 comprising activating the particles using a negatively charged corona discharge and activating the droplets using a positively charged corona discharge.
• a method according to any of embodiments 20 to 41 comprising simultaneously forming and activating the particles.
• Apparatus according to embodiment 43 for covalently attaching bacteriophage to a substrate, comprising:
• Apparatus according to embodiment 44 adapted to generate liquid droplets of a solvent or solution that is a gas at room temperature and 20°C containing bacteriophage.
• Apparatus according to embodiment 44 or 45 wherein the plasma generator of b (ii) is adapted for generating a plasma to activate the substrate.
• Apparatus according to embodiment 44 or 45 wherein the plasma generator of b (i) is adapted for generating a plasma to activate the droplets containing bacteriophage.
• Apparatus according to embodiment 44 or 45 wherein the plasma generator and the chamber are arranged so that the bacteriophage and the substrate are combined and contacted with the plasma so as to be activated at the same time and in the same chamber.
• a method of covalently attached two bacteriophage of different strain or type to a single substrate particle comprising:
• a method according to embodiment 50 comprising combining the product with a third bacteriophage of different strain or type to the first and second, wherein prior to or during the combining the product or the third bacteriophage or both are activated, so as to yield a further product comprising a particle to which the first, second and third bacteriophage are covalently attached.
• a method according to embodiment 50 or 51 wherein substrate or bacteriophage or intermediate product is activated in steps a and b by an electric discharge.
• 53. A composition comprising a plurality of particles to which first and second bacteriophage of different strain or type are covalently attached, wherein at least 50% of the particles by number comprise at least one first bacteriophage and at least one second bacteriophage.
• composition according to embodiment 53, wherein at least 60% of the particles by number comprise at least one first bacteriophage and at least one second bacteriophage.
• composition according to embodiment 53, wherein at least 70% of the particles by number comprise at least one first bacteriophage and at least one second bacteriophage.
• Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of apparatus for use in the invention for generation of activated polymer particles
• Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram of apparatus of the invention for production of immobilised bacteriophage
• Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of further apparatus of the invention for production of immobilised bacteriophage.
• Apparatus was designed for immobilisation of bacteriophage (and other molecules) onto the activated surface of particles and filaments for the manufacture of bulk product.
• the apparatus was designed to permit the corona activation of materials, particularly particles, and reaction with bacteriophages or other viruses and substances to take place very rapidly, and within the lifetime of the induced free radicals.
• this shows a basic electrospray system comprising a high voltage supply to produce a corona between the induction electrode and the liquid nozzle, producing in operation a stream of polymer particles activated and ready for covalent attachment to bacteriophage.
• Figure 2 shows how the particle activator of figure 1 is integrated with a second liquid intake having opposite polarity.
• Via inlet A is introduced a bacteriophage suspension at a suitable concentration and sufficient electric field so that emerging droplets are negatively charged.
• via inlet B is introduced a polymer solution to be discharged through an electro-spray nozzle to form positively charged droplets - in proximity to the bacteriophage containing droplets.
• particle surfaces are activated by corona discharge upon emergence from the electro-spray nozzles and combination with oppositely charged particles / droplets and immobilisation (covalent attachment) occurs within the reaction chamber.
• flow of drying gas facilitates transport and collection of particles.
• a second apparatus for immobilisation of bacteriophage onto particles was similarly designed to permit the corona activation of materials, particularly particles, and reaction with bacteriophages or other viruses and substances to take place very rapidly, and within the lifetime of the induced free radicals.
• particle production using an electro-spray system is combined with a secondary corona stage.
• the secondary corona stage has the same polarity and is situated to take advantage of particle flow using inert gas.
• a second spray nozzle is employed for bacteriophage droplet production with an opposite polarity and introduction of the bacteriophage droplets into the mixing chamber. Mixing of the charged bacteriophage droplets with the opposite charged polymer droplets results in rapid contact and combination in less than a second, leading to covalent attachments being formed.

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